No Smoke Without Fire – Islay Whisky Flavours

May 8, 2017

3 min read

Scotland is a country famed for it’s beautiful, rolling landscapes, open and welcoming people, and rich and vibrant history. When people mention Scotland, the idea of the kilt wearing, sheep herding clansman is the first that comes to mind for most people (or at least, those that aren’t actually from Scotland). The second thing people will mention when asked about Scotland is whisky, the national spirit. Whisky has been distilled in Scotland for centuries and is intertwined with the culture of the country. No type of whisky is as well known as Islay whisky, famed for it’s smokey flavours.

The Island Behind Islay Whisky

Islay is an island of almost poetic appearance in the Scottish Hebrides, a group of islands known for their stark landscapes of grey and green and weather-beaten climate. Islay itself is covered in peat bogs, something which lends itself very well to the whisky distillation business. Peat is a fuel source similar in nature to coal, being made from compacted, decaying vegetation. It is formed over a shorter time frame however, taking form over a mere 1000 to 5000 years. In geological terms, that’s a blink of an eye.

Why this matters to Islay whisky is thus: peat is a free form of fuel, great for an industry that requires heat to function, and also imparts some of the peated flavour to the whisky. People often have incorrect understanding of why peat matters to Islay whisky – some say it flavours the water that is used in the process, why other’s say it affects the barrels the whisky is matured in. Both of these are incorrect: peat water as a very low ppm (parts per million) count and the barrels are often American Oak and kept away from dirt. The real reason is that peat is used to dry the wet malt at the start of the process. The smoke from the peat permeates the Islay whisky, imparting a lovely smokey flavour that lasts throughout the process.

The Rare Malts Whisky Company, purveyors of some of the most interest rare malt whisky available on the open market, said “The peat drying process behind the flavour of Islay whisky produces one of the most recognisable regional flavours in any spirit industry. What’s even more interesting is it is a process essentially unchanged in 200 years, proving the old adage ‘If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it’.”

The Distilleries Of Islay Whisky

Distillers of whisky come and go, but many of Islay have stood the test of time, with some of them weighing in at around 200 years old. That brings them to less than half a century off the age of the United States of America. Currently, there are 8 functioning distilleries on the island: Laphroaig, Lagavulin, Ardbeg, Bowmore, Bruichladdich, Bunnahabhain, Caol Ila, and the recently opened Kilchoman. They vary in styles and ages, but the one main overriding factor between them all is this: smoke.

The smoke imparted in the whiskies produced at the Islay whisky distilleries in one of the most iconic motifs of any spirit industry. They lend themself fantastically well to an industry that has a large amount of enthusiasts worldwide. Rare malt whisky goes for an incredible price, so a whisky with distintive notes can fetch an even higher price. Have a look through some search results on Google and see for yourself. It’s a word just waiting to be explored.